Machine for spreading slitted metal.



N0- 8.27,441. PATENTED JULY 31, 1906.

. 8. B. HARDING. MACHINE FOR SPR EADING SLITTED METAL. APPLICATION FILED 0012.30, 1905.

- v a SHBETSSHEET 1.

glnvzufoz PATENTED JULY 31, 1906;

. s. B. HARDiNG. MACHINE FOR SPREADING SLITTED METAL.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.30, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

' liter/won PATENTED JULY 31, 1906.

No. 827,441. A

s. B. HARDING. MACHINE FOR SPREADING SLITTED METAL.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' APPLICATION FILED OOT.30, 1906.

atroznu gag W 5 l/vdmeaowo nrrin) STATES PATENT- oFFIoE.

To all whom it may concerrt:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL B. HARDING,

of Waukesha, Wisconsin, have invented a Machine for Spreading Slitted Metal, of which the following is a s ecification.

This invention is a mac ine for'spreading metal which has been previously slitted after the manner of that shown, for example, in the patent to Curtis for a cutting-roll, No. 671,915, issued'April' 9, 1901, the adjacent rows of slits being arran ed in quincunx, so

\ that when the edges of t e metal are pulled I network to advantage for spreading the smaller sizes.

apart to s read it it will take the form of a aving diamond-shaped meshes, this roduct being known to the trade as expandhd metal. a

'-My apparatus is intended more particu-' larly to accomplish in a rapid and perfecf mannerthe spreading of the larger sizes of mesh of expanded metal or metal lathing, such as are intended for use with reinforced concrete, these larger sizes being at the resent time spread or expanded by han for lack of the perfection of machinery to perform this operation. It will be understood, however, that my machine can also be used .In a general way my apparatus consists in I stationary means for gripping one edge of the slitted, metal sheet and movable means for gripping the opposite edge, which latter means 1s then caused to-move away from the former, so as to draw out the metal into ex 'panded form. Each of the gripping means consists 10f a lurality of grippers which gri the edge of t e sheet at the center of eac mesh, and the grippers of each set are arranged to move toward eachother in pro portion as the metal is expanded, so as to allow for the actual shortening in length which takes place during this operation.

My invention may. best "be understood from a consideration of the following detailed descriptionin conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1- is a rear elevation of the machine,

a part of the fixed gripper-beam being removed. Figj 2 ,is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the right-hand end thereof. Flg. 4 is a transverse section through the machine, showing a side elevation of a pair of gippers on an enlarged scale. Fig. 5 is a ont elevation of one of these '(grip ers, showing ex anded metal grlppe Specification of Letters Patent. A nman an October so, 1905. Serial No. 294,959.

partially spread. ig. 6 is partly a longitudinal section and partly an elevation of one of the grippers on a larger scale.

Fig. 7 is'a plan view of part of the movable set of grippers to show the returning mechanism. Fig. 8 is a transverse section-through the movable gripper-beam and an elevation of one of the sha -brackets mounted thereon. Fig. 9 is a front elevation of a.portion of said'beam, showing the means for mounting the shaft-brackets thereon. Fig. 10 is a frame having horizontal section through one of the vertitom to a roughly triangular base 23, and the tw o sides of the frame are joined together by a channel-beam 24 at the bottom and a chan ncl-beam 25 at the to Each upri ht 21 consists, as seen from Fig. 10, of a c annel having its flan es turned inwardly to serve as guides for t e moving gripper-beam 26. Gussets 27 are preferably rovided between the uprights 21 and the ase-beams 24 as additional knee-bracing.

The movable of two horizonta channels 28 and 29, having their flanges turned inwardly, an intermediate vertical channel 30 connecting them near the rear side and .a plate 31 connecting their ripper-beam 26 is made up v flanges at the front side, (see Fig. 8,.) and to rollers .35, which run on the inner sides of the flanges'of the posts 21-,as shown, and preferably, also, haveflanges 35 running on .the edges of these flanges, so as to prevent an endwise movement of the ripper-beam. For additional strength the ee ends "of the stubshafts 34 are supported by'brackets 36. The gripper -beam is counterweighted by a pair of weights 37 on the ends of cords 38,- running over pulleys 39, supported at the upper ends of therespective frame-posts 2 1 and turning in slots 40 therein, the opposite ends of the per ends of the guides 32. Thus mounted it' will be seen that the movable gripper-beam cords 38 being secured, as shown, to the up- I mmaterial.

wheel 45, which meshes in turn with a pinion- 46 on a jack-shaft 47, journaled in a bracket 48- on the framework, the shaft 47 carrying also a gear 49, which meshes with a pinion 50 on the armature-shaft 51 of an electric motor 52, which latter is mounted on a platform 53, sup orted by bracket-arms 55 on the side of the rame. Means are provided for starting the motor in either direction, as indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 1, b a reversing and starting box 56, to which the leads 57 of the motor-armature are carried. The fieldterminals of the motor are shown at 58. Of course it will be understood that this particular combination of means for operating the gripper up and down is not. essential ,to the invention. Although considered the most convenient method, other kinds of motors might be used, which would of course have corresponding means for starting them and operating them in either direction.

.VVith the moving gripper-beam cooperates the fixed gripper-beam 59, which is mounted on the frame to the rear of the movable gripper-beam and is of similar composite structure, comprising horizontal channels 60 and 61, united by a plate ,62 at the rear side and an intermediate channel 62*. On each of the gripper-beams and .on the sides facing each other are mounted a pairof parallel gripper-shafts. (Designated 63 and 64, respectively.) These gripper-shafts are supported in shaft-brackets 65, one of which is shown in Fig. 8, and which are secured on the'free flanges 66 of the horizontal channels 28 and 29, 60 and 61, respectively. The shaftbrackets and other apparatus on the fixed gripper-beam are reversed in position with respect to those on the moving gripper-beam, as seen from Fig.4. The gripper-shafts may be secured against endwise movement by one or more set-screws 67 inthe end brackets, although whether the shafts rotate or not .is On the shafts are mounted the grippers 68, which correspond in number to the number of meshes longitudinally counted in the piece of slitted metal 121, which is to be spread, and the distance between the ippers should also be equal to the width o the slitted inetal sheet before being spread.

The construction of the grippers is best seen from Fig. 6, which shows one of the grippers on the fixed gripper-beam in partial crosssection. It comprises a base 69, having a recess 70, which forms, in combination with a box-half 71, a journal-box to receive the gripper-shaft 64. The gripper does not rotate on the shaft, but moves lon itudinally thereon and is provided with a re ler 72, fit ting between the edges of the free flanges 66 of the gripper-beam and rolling on one of them. The base 69 is provided with a fixed gripper-j aw 73, with which cooperates a moving jaw 74, which is herein shown as having a conical end 75, which is coneavely recessed, as shown at 76, to enable it to bite and grip firmly the edge of the slitted metal. The jaw 74 slides in a bore 77, which is formed in a yoke 84 on the base 69, and the upper end of the jaw has an eye through which passes a pin 78, securing it to a pair of toggle-links 79, whose upper ends are secured to companion toggle-links by a pin 81, while the upper ends of the links 80 are pivoted on a pin 82, which is mounted in the eye-of a rojecting piece 83. The piece 83 is adjustab y secured in the upper side of the yoke 84 by means of lock-nuts 85 and 86 on the threaded stem of the piece 83, thus enabling the separation of the gripper-jaws to be adjusted to different thicknesses of sheet metal.

Above the gripper-shaft 64 there is formed on the base 69 an air-cylinder 87, in which re ciprocates a piston 88, which has a transverse wrist-pln 89, serving to connect a link 90 with the pin 81, whereby the latter is drawn back or pushed forward, so as to raise and lower the grip er-jaw 74. N01- mally the piston 88 is held retracted, so as to raise the gripper-j aw by means of a coiled com ression-sprmg 91 within the piston, whic abuts against the latter and against an abutment-plate 92 at the open end of the aircylinder. Into the rear of the cylinder is introduced a short pipe 93, to which is fixed a .flexible pipe 94, through which is introduced a supply of compressed air at proper times to cause the cylinder 88 to advance and so 0 erate the gripper to grip the metal. The exible pipes 94 on the fixed grippers are connected with an air-main 95, mounted on the beam, and similarly those of the movable grippers are connected with an air-main 96, mounted. on the movable gripper beam. Both of these air-mains, the former by a pipe 97 and the latter by a flexible hose 98, are

connected with a three-way cook 99, one branch 100 of which is conneetedwith a source of compressed air and the other, 101,

' 1o sary to returnthe grippers to their former,

positions to be ready to grip a new sheet of slittedmetal, and to accomplish this I provide on each gripper-beam a pair of return- .rocls 103,'which ass through bearing-boxes 104, which are ormed atone side of the bearings for the grip er-shafts on the basepieces 69 and box-ha ves 71. Each of these return-rods has a set of collars 105, spaced so as to abut against the inner sides of the respective rippers when these latter are in their initia rods are also extended. T e central gripper 68 (there being an uneven number) is an.- chored to the gripper-shaft by a set-screw or in any other manner, so that the others all move toward it in the. spreading operation. The two rods 103 may, as shown, be connected near their inner ends by a coiled tension-spring 106, which passes over the shaft- 1 o brackets 65 on the. movable gripper-beam and under those of, the fixed gripper-beam and serves to keep the two return-rods drawn together, so that the collars 105 are normally away from the inner sides of the grip- 3 5 pers anddo not interfere with the inward movement of the latter. This, however, is .found unnecessa 'in .practice and may be omitted. To eaiili outer end of the returnrods is connected a piston-rod 107, which is '0 fixed to thepist'on of an air-cylinder 108, mounted at each end of each gripper-beam, and there is provided, preferably, a stop-plate .109; to strike against the cross-head 110 of the piston rod when the latter is fully drawn 1 5 in, so asto limit its motion at the point where the return rods have drawn the gri pers all back into their initial positions. T e inner ends of the. air-cylinders are connected by.

air-ducts comprising a stationary pipe 111 in so the case of the fixed gripper-beam and a flexible pipe 112 in the case of the movable grip- ,per-beam, and these are connected with a three-way val .e 113, arranged similarly to the valve 99 in connection with an air-pipe 114 and an exhaust-pipe 115, so that com- "essed air .m'ay be introduced into and relieased from thetcylinder 108 by operating the handle of the valve 1 13.

) Owing to. the longitudinal motion of the grippers on the gripper-shafts, it is necessary to ave the shaft-brackets pro erly adjustedthereon, so as not to inte ere with this motion, and to facilitate proper adjustment and enable the griplpers to be adjusted 65 for difierent sizes of mes or extended Iposition, and the shown by t these shaftbrack-' ets near the ends of the beams are arranged to have considerable longitudinal adjustment. To this end the free flanges 66 of the beams have longitudinal slots 116, Fig. 9,

spaced so that the intervals between the slots are slightly shorter than the slots themselves.

The shaft-bracket 65 is secured in these slots by four bolts 117, two at' each side of the bracket, spaced so .that each enters a separate slot 116. The bracket can now be shifted on the beam Within the limits of the slots, and to shift it'farther it is only necessary to take out the bolts and move the bracket along the space of one air of slots,

and it will be found that in t is m the 80.

brackets can be placed at any desired point on the beams.

To facilitate operating the machine, I. provide a platform 118, supported at the front side. of the machine on a framework 119, on which the operator stands, and to prevent the operator from getting caught in the machinery a guard plate or shield 120 is placed across the front of the machine and secured At t e upper ends of the guides 32 are fixed brackets 123, and at the u per ends. of the frame-posts 21 are secured having lungers 125, whose ends project slightly E dash-pots 124,

elow the dash-pots, and when the 5 movable grippenbeam reaches the upper limit of its motion the brackets 123 strike the ro ecting plungers of the dash-pots, and the beam is thus cushioned as it is brought to a stop. Similar cushioning-beams may be rovided, if preferred, at the lower end of the eams motion. The operation of my machine is as follows:

The machine being in its initial position, in

which the movable gripper-beam is raised so that the gri pers are oppositeeachother, as

tie full lines in Fig. 4, a sheet of slitted metal 121 is introduced between the grippers, so that one edge 'is betweeneach set thereof, and the edge bonds of the slitted metal come midway between the successive pairs of gri pers. A'stop-lug 122 may be cast on the ed jaw of each rear gripper, so as to facilitate adjustment of the metal sheet. When the sheet is in roper position, the op erator turnsthe handle 102 of the air=valve 99, so asto'admit air into the gripper-cylinders and cause the movable jaws thereof to seize the metal, and he thereupon turnsthe handle of the starting-box 56, so as to oper- 12o ate the motor 52 to, lower the movable gripper-beam to the bottom of its 'travel, thus drawing out the slitted metal, as indicated at 121 in Fig; 4. When the slitted metal is drawn out, the grippers are drawn together 12 5 toward, the centers of the gripper-shafts, as

previously ex lained. When the movable gripper-beam as reached the lower limit of its movement, the starting-box 56 is operated the grippers to their initial positions, after which the valve 113 is again thrown back, so as to free the rods 103 and permit them to be drawn forward by the grippers themselves on their advance movement or by the springs 106 if the latter are used.

My invention resides rather in the general principles than in the details of the machine, and I do not limit myself, therefore, to the specific details, as other Ways of carrying out my invention can be readily devised by machine-builders and others skilled in the art.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A machine I comprising means for gripping each edge of a sheet of slitted metal at independent points corresponding to the length of the meshes, and means for subsequently moving the gripping means on one side. awa from the gripping means on the other si e-soas to draw out the metal. I

2. A machine for spreading slitted metal comprising means for gripping each edge of a sheet of slitted metal at independent points corresponding to the length of the meshes,

means for subsequently moving the gripping means on one side. away fromthe gripping .means on the other side, and means whereby the independent gripping-points may move together during the operation of spreading by distances equal to the contraction of length of the meshes.

3. In a machine'for spreading slitted metal, the combination of a pluralit of stationary grippers movable longitudina ly. toward and from each other, a plurality of movable grippers likewise mova other, and means for. moving themovable grippers bodily toward'andifrom the-stationary grippers.

4. A machine for spreading slitted metal of grippers mounted andrmovable longitudi- 'nally thereon, a movable gripper-beam, a plurality of grippers mounted and movable longitudinally thereon, and means for moving the movable gripper-beam parallel to itself toward and from the fixed gripper-beam.

5. In a machine for spreadingslitted metal, the combination of a set of grippers mounted to move longitudinally toward and from each other, a second set of grippers similarly for spreading slitted metal,

le toward and from each mounted and also mounted to move bodily toward and from said first set, and means for simultaneously operating all of said grip ers to grip the edges of a piece of slitted meta 6. In a machine for spreading slitted metal, the combination of a fixed gripper-beam, a plurality of grippers mounted and having ongitudinal movement thereon, a movable gripper-beam mounted opposite said fixed gripper-beam and having a travel toward and om the latter, a plurality of rippers mounted and longitudinally movab e on said movable gripper-beam, means for operating said grippers simultaneously to grip the edges of a sheet of slitted metal, and means for returning the grippers of each set to the proper spacing corres onding to the length of mesh of the slitte metal after each spreading operation.

7. In a machine for spreading slitted metal, the combination of a fixed gripper-beam, a gripper-shaft, a plurality of rippers mounted and longitudinally movab e on said shaft, a movable gripper-beam mounted to run in guides toward and from said fixed grippeream, a grip er-shaft carried on said movable gri perearn, a plurality of grippers mounte and longitudinally movable on said last-named shaft, means for operating all of said'grippers simultaneously to grip or release the edges of a slitted sheet, means for moving the movable gripper-beam toward and from said fixed gripper-beam, and means for returning all of said grippers to the proper spacing for the -initial gripping operatlon on t eir respective shafts,

8. In a machine for spreading slitted metal, the combination of' a gripper-beam, a plurality of grippers mounted and longitudinally movable thereon, and means for simultaneously placing all of said grippers at a definite spacing on said beam corresponding to the length of mesh of the slitted metal.

9. In amachine for spreading slitted metal, the combination of a gripper-beam, a lurality of grippers mounted and longitudina ly movable thereon, areturn-rod having collars 10., a machine for spreading slitted metal, the combination-of a horizontal gripper-beam carryinigrip ers mounted and loncomprising a fixed gripper-beam, a plurality gitudinally mova e t ereon, a pair of upright posts, a movable gripper-beam guided between said osts, a second set-of grippers mounted and ongitudinally movable on said movable gripper earn, means for raising and lowering said movable gripper-beam bodily, means for simultaneouslyoperating all the griippers-to grip or-release the edges-of a slitte .sheet, and means for returning all of said grippers to the initial spacing.

11. In a machine for spreading slitted thereon adaptedto abut against the sideof metal, the combiniation of a horizontal grip-' per-beam, a set-of gri pers mounted and long tudinally movable t ereon, a pair of upright posts, a movable horizontal posts, said gripper-beam having racks mourited at the ends thereof, a driving-shaft carrying pinions enga 'ng said racks, and means for rotatin said riving-shaft in either direction where y to raise or lower said movable gripper-beam.

12. In a machine for spreading slitted metal, the combination of a (gripper-beam, a set of gri pers mounted an longitudinalli' movable tliereon, a air of return-rods exten in along the line the grippers and bearing co lars adapted to abut against the inner sides of saidgrippers and return them to their extended posltions, and means for causin the return-r0 ds to move outwardly to a fixed imit whereby the grippers are returned to their initial spacing.

initial operating ositions'.

13. In a mac 'ne for spreading slitted metal, the combination of.a (gripper-beam, aset of rippers mounted an longitudinally movabfe thereon, a pair of return-rods extending along the line of the-grippers and bearin col ars adapted to abut against the inner si es of said grippers andreturn them totheir extended positions, a pair of fluid-cylinders connected to the outer ends of said rods and mounted on said beam, and means for connecting said fluid-cylinders with a source of compressed fluid whereby the rods may be operated to return said grippers to their 14. In a machine for s readin slitted metal, a gripper for the e ge of t e metal comprising a fixed jaw, a movable jaw, a cylsaid gripper comprising a fixed jaw, a mov-- .metal, a gripper comprising a inder connected with said movable jaw; to reciprocate the-same, and 'means for supplying said cylinder with compressed fluid.

15. In a machine for spreadin slitted fixe jaw, a movable aw'reciprocating toward and from it, a set of to gle-links connected at one end to said movable jaw, a cylinder connected to 4 able reciprocatingj aw coo crating therewith,

a fiuid cylinder eonnectej with said movable jaw to operate it, and means for connecting said cylinder with asource of compresse 'fluid whereby said gripper'is operated to grip the metal. e '17. In a machine for spreading slitted metal, the combination of a gripper-beam, a

plurality of 'pper-beam guided and vertically moving etween said rippers mounted and longitudinally movab ethereon, a return-rod having collars thereon adapted to abut against the side of said grippers, means for moving said return-rod longitudinally so that said collars engageandmove the grippers to a certain spacing, and a spring counteracting said' movin means.

18. n a machine for spreading slitted metal, the combination of a ripper-beamya set of grippers mounted an longitudinallymovab e thereon, a pair of return-rods extending along the line of the grippers andbear in col ars adapted to abut against the inner si es of said grippers and'return them to their extended positions, a sprin connecting the inner ends of said return-r0 s, and means for causing the return-rods to move outwardly to a fixed limit whereby the grippers are returned to their initial operating positions.

19. In a machine for spreading slitted metal, a gripper comprising a fixed .jaw, a

movable jaw reciprocating toward and from it, an adjustable pivot, a set of toggle-links connected at one end tosaid movable jaw and at the other end to said adjustable pivot,

and means for bending and straightening said to gle-links.

20. n a machine for spreading slitted metal, a gripper comprising a base, a fixed jaw mounted thereon, a movable jaw reciprocating toward and from it, a pivot-piece having a screw-threaded engagement with said base whereby it is adjustable toward and from said fixed jaw, a setof toggle-links connecting. said pivot-piece with said mov- IOO able jaw, and means for bending and strai htening the intermediate joint of said togg e-links.

. 21. In a machine for spreading slitted metal, a gripper comprising a base, a fixed jaw mounted thereon, a movable jaw reciprocatingltoward and from it, an eyebolt set in I line wit ase, a set of tog le-links connected at oneend with said e e olt and at the other'end' with said mova le jaw., a cylinder connected tothe central joint of said to gleslinks whereby to' straighten and bend t e latter, and means for supplying said cylinder with compressed fluid. 1 22., .A. slitted-metal-expanding machine comprisin means for gripping the edges of a sheet of s itted metal at independent polnts midway between the bonds on said ed es, and means for subsequently moving t e two grippmg' means apart whereby to expand t he slitted sheet.

1 In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day ofSAp3gust, 1905.

, HARDING. In presence of- I D. N. HUGHES,

O. E. Oarmrerrr. f

said movable jaw and having a longitudinally-adjustable engagement with sald 

